reel ratio's

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
DavidSA
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reel ratio's

Post by DavidSA » Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:52 am

I was noticing that all my reels are 6:x or 7:x reels and that most of my reels are finesse full. I have resisted 5:x crankbait reels because I felt they were not fast enough if I wanted to throw a lipless crank. Do you guys dedicate 5:x reels for deep and medium divers?

Now that the newness of the 7:x is long over, do most guys prefer the 6:1 over the 7:1? I tend to like the 7's for plastics, frog and buzzbait. for everything else I like 6:1.

Going to pick up some new reels next year and want some workhorses. Would be nice of Shimano came out with some new Chronarchs [-o<

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by Ham Solo » Mon Dec 22, 2014 9:24 am

I personally only use my 5.5:1 for mid to deep diving cranks and heavy, slow rolling spinnerbaits. It is a dedicated set-up. I use my 6.2:1s for shallow cranks, squarebills, lipless cranks, swimbaits and spinnerbaits. My 7.4:1s cover everything else: topwaters, jerkbaits, frogs, jigs and soft plastics.

Then there are guys, like Aaron Martens, who use 7:1s for just about everything. In fact, I read that he uses a Metanium HG(7.4:1) for deep diving cranks. To each his own. If it works.....it works.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by maxpowers » Mon Dec 22, 2014 9:55 am

I also typically only use my 5.x:1 for deep diving cranks, medium cranks, slow rolling big spinnerbaits, same as Ham Solo. I typically go faster, over half of my reels are 7.x:1, I use them for anything from frogs, jigs, topwater, to buzzbaits and the like. I find it easier to slow down than speed up. I use 6.x:1 for everything else.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by Cagey » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:26 am

I swear I don't recall who the bass pro it was that taught me years ago how he retrieved a rubber worm and I don't know if he was BS'n us or what, but he said he uses only his thumb on the spool to retrieve the rubber worm and does not touch the handle. And if this is true, then it would not matter what speed his reel is.

Not sure who, I am thinking it was Jimmy Houston or Bill Dance I saw many decades ago on some TV show. I surely do not have the patience for thumb reeling in a rubber worm.
Last edited by Cagey on Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by raul » Mon Dec 22, 2014 11:40 am

DavidSA wrote:I was noticing that all my reels are 6:x or 7:x reels and that most of my reels are finesse full. I have resisted 5:x crankbait reels because I felt they were not fast enough if I wanted to throw a lipless crank. Do you guys dedicate 5:x reels for deep and medium divers?

Now that the newness of the 7:x is long over, do most guys prefer the 6:1 over the 7:1? I tend to like the 7's for plastics, frog and buzzbait. for everything else I like 6:1.

Going to pick up some new reels next year and want some workhorses. Would be nice of Shimano came out with some new Chronarchs [-o<
My man, if a 5 x reel feels too slow well, throw your lipless cranks with faster reel. I have a couple of 3.8 s and a couple of 5 s, those are for medium deep, deep and extra deep divers, for reeling in big blades spinnerbaits and such, for lipless cranks I can go with my 6 s and even ocasionally with my fastest reel, a Daiwa PT33SH.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by DavidSA » Mon Dec 22, 2014 9:32 pm

for those that throw the 5's can you sense extra gearing leverage against the bigger crankbaits.

I absolutely get that I can reel slower but find that difficult to do at times. Some years ago I had a new MG7 and was trying to throw a chatter bait on it and every 10min I noticed it coming to the surface. I have no reason to believe that I'm not cranking the deep divers a little too fast as well no matter what my mind tells me.

That said, I don't deep crank very often. Typically seems with vacation and golf season starting in June I put the rods up about the time they do deep enough to care.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by fishballer06 » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:51 pm

I love using a 5:1 for lipless cranks in cold water. It's also the perfect ratio for Jitterbugs if you like throwing those on topwater. Heck I've even thrown Cavitron's with my CH201e5. Makes an awesome slow, bubbly ruckus that fall bass can't resist.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by mark poulson » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:55 pm

All my reels are 6.2 and up.
Catching up to a fish for a good hookset is key, and faster reels do that for me.
For deep diving cranks, I feel the bottom and just reel it so it stays in contact, digging, not burning.
Same with worms and jigs. I'm feeling the bottom all the time, so I don't even pay attention to my reel speed.
Reeling a fast reel slower when I need to is much easier than speeding up a slow reel.
I have several 5.4 cranking reels that I no longer use.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by DavidSA » Mon Dec 22, 2014 11:35 pm

mark poulson wrote:All my reels are 6.2 and up.
Catching up to a fish for a good hookset is key, and faster reels do that for me.
For deep diving cranks, I feel the bottom and just reel it so it stays in contact, digging, not burning.
Same with worms and jigs. I'm feeling the bottom all the time, so I don't even pay attention to my reel speed.
Reeling a fast reel slower when I need to is much easier than speeding up a slow reel.
I have several 5.4 cranking reels that I no longer use.


Thanks Mark! I have historically fished the way you note. I recall now that I had a 5:1 finesse reel some years ago and yes the charging fish was more difficult to catch. With advent of High Effeciency gearing does anyone feel the 5:1 ratio reels gives significant leverage advantage in reeling big cranks?

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by Cagey » Mon Dec 22, 2014 11:58 pm

DavidSA wrote:for those that throw the 5's can you sense extra gearing leverage against the bigger crankbaits.
That is an interesting thing to say. Usually fishermen are talking about the misnomer of more leverage with the fish than with the lure. And in my case I'd have to say no I really don't "feel" that it is any easier to retrieve a lure with a 5 rather than with a 6. There may very well be a slight difference, but to me it is not really noticeable. I am about to purchase a 7 and I am sure I would notice more of a difference with it compared with my 3.8.
Last edited by Cagey on Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by mark poulson » Tue Dec 23, 2014 12:10 am

That is some beautiful country right there!
Have you tried drop shotting with a light sinker and longer leader? I do that when we do have grass, and use an offset hook so I can rig my worm to be weedless.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by DavidSA » Tue Dec 23, 2014 2:20 am

Wow, very nice!

I fish Okeechobee more then my home state and I keep a set of rods in Florida. I was thinking the other day when someone asked me about sensitivity of one of those Florida based rods and I realized I really don't know. The bait never comes in contact with much of any bottom no less a hard bottom.

Thanks for the comment on leverage. Based on responses to this thread, I don't see compelling reason for me to get a 5 to 1 ratio reel.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by Cagey » Tue Dec 23, 2014 2:46 am

No I have not tried drop-shot fishing in years. That technique does keep the lure right in the zone you want it, but I have learned over the years to do that myself without the added weight of the drop-shot hanging off of it.
Last edited by Cagey on Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by toporanger » Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:16 am

I think you have to look at ipt also, not ratio alone. I have a big reel that is 4.6:1 ratio but has a ipt of 30 inches., the 6.6 is 43 inches. This is mainly due to a wide spool, which you won't see on 200 and smaller reels.

But 90% of bass size baits won't notice a big difference in pulling difference between a 5 or a 6 ratio. I think you might notice it but you won't ruin the reel with bass lures. I have destroyed gears on fast reels throwing hard pulling pike and muskie lures, stripped the teeth right off.

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Re: reel ratio's

Post by Dink Dawg » Wed Dec 24, 2014 12:46 am

The answer to your question is yes. I have two lower gear ratio reels for any lure that has significant resistance. The majority of my casting reels are 6.3 to 1 and I have a few faster ratios. Each has it's place.

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